BLACKBRAID on RockOverdose: ” I felt that it would be more genuine to try to incorporate indigenous influence into my music, rather than writing about someone else’s history or culture.”

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BLACKBRAID , the personal project of Sgah'gahsowáh, have evolved into one of the most exciting new names in black metal scene, combining traditional elements of North American indigenous heritage with icy riffs and epic atmospheres.

On the occasion of their first appearance in Greece, Sgah'gahsowáh answers the questions of our editor Dimitris Soursos and prepares us for their spiritually energetic performances in front of the Greek audience.

Read the interview below.

Blackbraid Links:

US Webstore: http://blackbraid.us
EU Webstore: http://blackbraid.eu
Bandcamp: https://blackbraid.bandcamp.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@blackbraid_kvlt
Instagram: http://instagram.com/blackbraid_kvlt
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/47nBZhrImXWXTWVSWt09MY?si=hBetDbeuT0qSTS6c0dJK_Q
Amazon Music: http://music.amazon.com/artists/B09Z7HJD85/blackbraid
Apple Music: http://music.apple.com/us/artist/blackbraid/16217621055

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RockOverdose: I understand that Blackbraid draws inspiration from Native American themes. Is there a specific meaning behind the name?

 

BLACKBRAID: I am still very happy with the name and chose to use it because i think it is a perfect representation of the type of black metal I like to write.

 

 

RockOverdose: When did you first think of forming Blackbraid and how did you decide to head into the direction of combining black metal with Native American instrumentation?

 

BLACKBRAID: I started Blackbraid in 2022 and always knew I wanted to write black metal that was strongly based in nature.  Alot of the classic black metal I grew up listening to and loving draws on medieval culture and norse paganism, things that are very embedded in the history of european black metal. Being of indigenous descent myself, i felt that it would be more genuine to try to incorporate indigenous influence into my music, rather than writing about someone else’s history or culture.

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RockOverdose: You started as a one man project, but you soon managed to form a stable touring lineup. Was the transition from the studio to live shows challenging? How well do you think your original vision translates to the stage?

 

BLACKBRAID: The transition was pretty smooth and I’m lucky to have a bunch of close friends as my life lineup, but there is definitely a difference between the live shows and the studio albums. The guys in my live lineup all amazing musicians and bring their own flare to the live performances, so it is definitely its own separate entity from the albums, but I think it works better that way.

 

 

RockOverdose: Is there any chance that the touring members will contribute to studio recordings, or are you strict in keeping this a one man band?

 

BLACKBRAID: For the time being I love writing all the songs myself, as I don’t have to share or compromise on my creative vision with any other members, and I dont see that changing anytime soon.

 

 

RockOverdose: Blackbraid II came out almost immediately after your debut, now that we are deep into 2025 should we expect a new album?

 

BLACKBRAID: Yes I’m planning on releasing another full length this summer, by the time we play Greece it will have been officially announced!

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RockOverdose: I must say I find the cover art for both your albums pretty intriguing. Who is/are the artists responsible? Is there a certain message behind each cover?

 

BLACKBRAID: Adrian Baxter is the artist for both of the first two covers and he did a fantastic job. The illustrations are kind of meant to be a visual representation of how I see the albums as a whole in my mind, drawing on subtle elements from all of the tracks. Adrian was amazing when it came to taking my ideas and breathing life into them with his illustrations.

 

 

RockOverdose: Blackbraid instantly gained recognition from press and fans alike in a short period of time. Do you feel any pressure of living up to the standards you already set or is ti something you don’t really dwell on too much?

 

BLACKBRAID: The only time I feel the pressure is when I’m writing new material.  I think in the beginning I didn’t think twice about all of the stuff I put out, where nowadays I catch myself being a bit more of a perfectionist at times when it comes to writing and recording. But in the end it only leads to better music I think, and I still try not to let it affect me too much.

 

 

RockOverdose: What bands would you say had a major influence on your sound?

 

BLACKBRAID: I’m going to be cliche and say alot of the classic because they really are the best to ever do it. Bands like Immortal, Bathory, Dissection, etc… will always be my favorite.

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RockOverdose: On 29 April you are visiting Athens for the first time. What should we expect from Blackbraid on that night?

 

BLACKBRAID: This will be our first time ever in Greece so we plan to make it one to remember. We have a full hour to play so you can definitely expect to hear songs from both albums, possibly even an acoustic song or something unreleased, but it will definitely be a fun one!

 

 

 

Thank you for your time. Last words are yours.

 

Just very excited to be bringing Blackbraid to beautiful Greece for the first time, see you very soon!

 

On behalf of RockOverdose.gr,

Dimitris Soursos

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